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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169553
Title: Search for repellents, attractants and pheromones of the multicolored Asian lady beetle

Author
item Riddick, Eric
item Aldrich, Jeffrey

Submitted to: American Entomologist
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/9/2004
Publication Date: 10/1/2004
Citation: Riddick, E.W., Aldrich, J.R. 2004. Search for repellents, attractants and pheromones of the multicolored Asian lady beetle. American Entomologist. 50(3):167-168.

Interpretive Summary: Despite its importance as a biological control agent of crop pests, the multicolored Asian lady beetle has become a considerable nuisance to homeowners over the last decade. Adults have a habit of invading houses and other man-made structures in the fall season in search of overwintering shelter. In this presentation, we introduced a 'push-pull-store' strategy that might be used to manage nuisance lady beetles before they entered structures. Least-toxic chemical repellents could pull beetles from house exteriors, attractants or pheromones could draw beetles into collecting vessels, and collected beetles could then be stored in suitable places over the winter season. If successful, this management technique would significantly reduce overwintering aggregations of this lady beetle in structures. The research highlighted in this presentation should be of interest to scientists in industry.

Technical Abstract: This article serves as a summary of a presentation that highlighted research on managing Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) populations. Beetles have the unusual habit of entering structures (such as houses) in the fall season in search of overwintering shelter. We introduced a 'push-pull-store' strategy for managing H.axyridis populations. We also revealed that camphor displayed repellent activity in the laboratory, but under field conditions, camphor was ineffective after 48 h post-application. A formulation of DEET plus paraffin had repellent activity for 23 days in the laboratory, but has not been field-tested. GC-MS analysis has provided circumstantial evidence that methoxypyrazines, monoterpenes and sesquiterpens might play a role in establishing overwintering aggregatins. Ongoing research is seeking to identify effective repellents and attractants (or pheromones) that could be field-tested in urban areas.